Chapter 3 – Gracie's Renaissance
The Thanksgiving holiday is upon us, and I've been so busy with school and other interests that I hardly noticed the time go by. I called Mom to tell her that my friend, Dianne, would be bringing me home late Wednesday night, but she didn't have to wait up for us. I knew she would anyway. Dianne's parents lived about 45 minutes up the Interstate from me, so the ride was no imposition at all. Frankly, I think she would have driven me home had it been 2 hours out of the way. The three of us had become very close. Leslie had to go meet her father in Paris, France of all places. He worked for the government, and spent most of his time abroad. Leslie's mother had run off with her hair dresser about two years ago, but we didn't talk about it much.
Dianne and I arrived at Mom's house late Wednesday night. She didn't bother to come in and meet Mom because of the hour, but I made her promise she would arrange to come back by early enough to meet my mom and visit awhile before we returned to school.
She was standing in the doorway when I walked up to the house. She was waving to the perfect stranger that had just delivered me home. I think Dianne was waving back. What the Hell, I waved too.
Once inside there was a lot of mother/daughter hugging and kissing and both talking at once, but that's the way homecomings are supposed to be, isn't it? We set side by side on the sofa, and babbled about this and that. Mom couldn't get over how well and happy I seemed to be. College was better for me than she had anticipated.
"You won't believe how much I have learned in such a short time, Mom. And, I've met some wonderful people. One of them brought me home tonight."
"Shame on you, Allison," she scolded. "You should have asked her in to visit." She pretended to be pouting.
"Mom, it's a little after nine o'clock now. It will be 11:00 o'clock by the time Dianne gets home. She's coming back early Saturday so we can visit. You are going to love this girl. I do," I added honestly.
"Are you tired?" Mom asked. "I would love to have one of those massages you usually give me when we do our hot tub thing. It's okay if you're too tired."
"Mom," I said lovingly, "I would love to play with your body for a while. I'm even going to show you some new tricks I've learned at school. How does that sound?"
"Great, I think," she replied with a puzzled look on her face. "I'll turn on the hot tub. Fifteen minutes tops." She returned in a few minutes with a couple of tall mixed drinks. I had learned long ago not to ask what was in them, but they were refreshing and relaxing. That's all that mattered.
She settled down on the sofa and sipped at her drink. Then she giggled.
"What?" I asked.
"When I went to the same school you are attending now, we girls used to sit around after a rousing time at the tennis courts or on the volley ball court and talk foolishly. One of our favorite expressions was ‘ah, an iced cold toddy, a cigarette, and a good be of ass – what else could a body ask for?'" She blushed when she realized what she had said. "Oh, I'm sorry, Allison. I'm just so happy to see you, and I'm excited about the Holiday. I guess I lost my charm there for a minute."
"No, Mom," I said very solemnly, "you are finally beginning to treat me like a grown woman, so naturally you are feeling like one yourself. I think it is great as well as a terrific compliment to me. Thank you, love." I leaned over and kissed her full on the lips. She actually responded at first, and then she stiffened.